A Domain referred to a Magician's ability to accumulate Elemental particles within a certain range and gather them inside a specific radius, with themselves at the center.
If the mind of the Magician was strong enough and the Elemental particles accumulated reached a certain level, the area would be called the Magician's Domain.
A Domain would improve the strength, form, recovery, control, and channeling of the Magician's Element, granting them a higher level of mastery over that specific Element.
In addition to that, a Domain could also suppress the strength of an opponent. After all, if a certain area possessed a strong presence of one Element, it meant the presence of other Elements would be weakened.
Therefore, Domains always played an important role in duels between high-level Magicians. Being able to construct a Domain resulted in a huge difference in power!
A Domain was an ability that required advanced-level cultivation to form, but it wasn't limited to Magicians alone. Elemental spirits from soul grade and above could also form Domains of their own.
Damon, naturally being a Super Ranker, possessed his own Domain.
"Domain… Imperial Regime."
The Fire Element from all over the Space of Death rushed toward the point where Damon stood. His hair floated upward as a vortex of dark blue imperial flames formed around him.
His figure, bathed in imperial fire, stood majestically while facing the raining undead.
Damon raised his hands as the vortex of fire burned fiercely. One with the Element, his envy and will painted his imagination into reality.
The flames molded themselves, growing more violent with each passing second, until a small, highly concentrated ball of fire lay calmly in his hands.
"This much should be enough…" Damon muttered to himself, emptying his entire fire reserve for a single attack. He felt the flames scorch his palm, the pain searing into his flesh before his super regeneration kicked in.
He glanced at his burning hand, then raised his other palm as well, preparing to launch the attack.
"What is that?" Mo Fan muttered in awe as he ran toward the silver gate, glancing back at the blue vortex of fire engulfing Damon from all directions.
Boom!
A shockwave spread outward as a thin pillar of fire burst from the center of the vortex, piercing the dark sky.
The pillar of flaming light struck a commander-level undead directly in the torso, incinerating it completely.
Boom!
As the giant undead was destroyed, the pillar of fire extinguished, followed by a massive explosion that rang through the sky. The escaping group instinctively looked up as a giant curtain of fire spread across the heavens.
Blue flames covered the dark sky. All undead falling from the vortex toward the mirror plunged into the flaming cloud, incinerating instantly upon contact.
Charred remnants of undead rained down, wrapped in blue flames, only to disintegrate before ever touching the ground.
"I-is this the power of a Super Mage?" Zhang Xiaohou gulped as he stared at the overwhelming display.
"What spell is that?" Su Xiaoluo wondered as the group finally reached the silver mirror.
Mo Fan's heart raced as he looked back at Damon's figure, shrouded in fire. The blue curtain of flames burned fiercely, igniting something deep within him.
"Th-this is what a mage is!" Mo Fan said. This was the power he longed for. This was the power he dreamed of possessing—the very reason he had embarked on the path of magic.
"Damon…" he muttered as he watched the Domain recede and Damon rush toward them. "One day, I will surpass you."
With that, Mo Fan jumped into the silver mirror, leaving the Space of Death behind.
***
"Huff… that was intense!" Damon muttered as he stepped out of the silver mirror.
"Amazing," Su Xiaoluo said softly, admiration shining in her eyes as she looked at Damon.
"Hahaha… after all, whose brother do you think he is?" Zhang Xiaohou laughed, only to earn another eye roll from Su Xiaoluo.
Everyone was impressed by the display of strength Damon had just demonstrated. It was admirable, especially to Magicians who pursued magic and power throughout their lives.
The Nine Bridges of Death and the One Bridge of Life began to collapse. The ancient jade used to construct the bridges fell into the deep abyss, shattering into countless fragments under the violent black gusts.
Only one bridge remained—the one leading to the altar of the tomb.
The altar was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, resting upon a platform that seemed to float in the void for eternity.
The altar was shaped like an ice cap. The stone stairs leading upward were enormous, each step several times taller than a human. It felt as though the stairs were not meant for humans, but for giant deities.
From afar, red ribbons appeared to hang from the top corners of the altar. Upon closer inspection, they were not ribbons at all, but thick streams of blood cascading down the stairs like waterfalls.
The top corners of the stairs were carved into dragon heads, with the blood pouring from their mouths from a great height. The deafening roar of the bloodfalls echoed through the darkness.
Zhang Xiaohou recalled the dragon-shaped drains on the rooftop of the museum in the inner city. Those had been designed to channel rainwater, creating a spectacular sight during storms. Compared to them, the dragons at this altar were terrifying. It was impossible to tell whether the liquid was some strange red substance or real flesh-and-blood—blood that continued to flow even after more than two thousand years.
As the group climbed the stairs, the altar gradually seemed to shrink. The path narrowed the higher they ascended, until the width of the steps matched the length of a single stride.
As they moved forward, Damon's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
'Things have changed so much.'
He had interfered too much this time. The Mountain Zombie was dead. Mo Fan, though advanced to the Advanced Rank, had not self-awakened, and the Demon Element had yet to return.
'It may be a good thing in a way…'
In the novel, there had been no way to capture magic at this moment. But in this world, due to Damon's interference, magitech had evolved. People were more connected through their phones, capable of recording magic itself.
The streaming industry had flourished, and even now, some idiots were probably recording the battle. Once Mo Fan demonized, there would be no way to hide his power as in the original timeline. It would immediately attract the attention of the Holy City and others.
In that sense, many future problems might be avoided.
'He may have been weakened, but whatever…'
Damon wasn't here to babysit the protagonist. As a friend, he cared about Mo Fan's life to a degree, but he had no intention of shielding him from everything.
"I can see the top! The thing up there must be the Blood Emperor Throne that Fang Gu mentioned!" Liu Ru wiped the sweat from her brow, her pale face lighting up with joy.
They had finally arrived at the Blood Emperor Throne after enduring untold hardships.
Hopefully, they were still in time.
With countless lives at stake, even though the altar floating in endless darkness looked terrifying, the group was determined to push forward. Even if it meant crossing mountains of blades and seas of fire, they could not allow millions of people in the city to become sacrifices for the Black Vatican and Salan's festival.
"We're here, we made it!" Su Xiaoluo said excitedly to Zhang Xiaohou behind her as she reached the top first.
Zhang Xiaohou was exhausted as he arrived at the summit. He glanced at the white jade altar and saw a massive jadeite at its center.
The jadeite was red and translucent, its edges rising upward. It resembled a throne, with countless swords embedded within it.
The Blood Emperor Throne!
The one seated upon it could only be the Ancient King—Ying Zheng!
The group took a deep breath and moved forward.
There was indeed someone sitting on the Blood Emperor Throne, but it was difficult to tell whether the person was alive or dead. He wore a black battle robe, clearly a historical artifact, yet it emitted an icy sheen. Damon could even see his own reflection on its surface as he approached.
The man sat lazily, supporting his jaw with one hand, his body leaning slightly to the side. Shadows beneath the cap on his head obscured most of his face. However, the firelight revealed his lower jaw—and the sinister grin upon his lips.
He looked as though he were either deep in thought or merely resting. Either way, he did not resemble a corpse.
Cold sweat covered Damon's forehead. He never imagined that an emperor who had died over two thousand years ago could exert such terrifying pressure.
'Fuck… so this is what an emperor is.'
Damon knew the figure before him posed no immediate threat, yet his body froze in fear under the presence of the Ancient Emperor.
"I'm curious…"
Suddenly, the man on the throne spoke.
The voice made everyone's scalp tingle, as if it were about to explode.
"How did you find a way out of the Space of Death?" the voice continued as the man slowly raised his head.
The firelight chased away the shadows concealing his face, revealing a familiar visage marked by two streaks of white sideburns. His thick lips were dark purple, with matching runes spreading across his cheeks, giving him an eerie and ominous appearance.